diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index cbaf712d6529..7882148abb43 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -7897,11 +7897,8 @@ static void ixgbe_service_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		return;
 	}
 	if (ixgbe_check_fw_error(adapter)) {
-		if (!test_bit(__IXGBE_DOWN, &adapter->state)) {
-			rtnl_lock();
+		if (!test_bit(__IXGBE_DOWN, &adapter->state))
 			unregister_netdev(adapter->netdev);
-			rtnl_unlock();
-		}
 		ixgbe_service_event_complete(adapter);
 		return;
 	}